Search

Tejate is a Mexican traditional beverage elaborated with nixtamalized maize (Zea mays L.), cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans, cacao flowers (Quararibea funebris), and mamey sapota fruit seeds (Pouteria sapota) that is considered a refreshing drink with satiety properties. Local formulations show a high content of minerals, but a relatively low protein content. The aim of this study was to identify a standardarized formulation but conserving physicochemical and sensorial ethnic identity of traditional Tejate, and to improve its nutritional value with the addition of protein without modifying its sensorial profile. A 2(4–1) fractional factorial design with central point was used to vary ingredients concentration and the amount of ash used for maize nixtamalization instead of lime (calcium hydroxide) was 75 g/100 g (w/w) of wood ashes in 2 L water. The standardized traditional formulation (TF) was selected through a sensory analysis with an expert panel: 20 g of cacao flowers, 30 g of mamey sapota fruit seeds, and 100 g of cocoa beans per kg of maize nixtamalized with 6% of ash. Whey protein concentrate (80% of protein) or soy protein isolate (88% of protein) were added to the TF at 1, 2, and 2.5%. The addition of 1% soy protein isolate increased TF protein content without modifying its physicochemical parameters, and improved the beverage stability during cold storage. The protein-rich Tejate formulation could be used as a functional beverage maintaining its ethnic identity. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05073-w.

México es el principal productor de mamey (Pouteria sapota) en el mundo; sin embargo, se percibe que la producción y comercialización del fruto es afectado por diversos factores biológicos, técnicos y socioeconómicos que impactan negativamente en el desarrollo de la cadena productiva. Para tener evidencia directa del caso, en 2017 se entrevistó a productores de mamey del municipio de Alpoyeca, Guerrero, planteando como objetivo conocer y analizar su opinión de la problemática para la producción y comercialización. Se entrevistaron 50 productores de mamey que mediante un cuestionario se captó la información. Los factores que afectan la producción y comercialización del mamey se agruparon en biológicos, técnicos y socioeconómicos. Los biológicos están relacionados con la presencia de plagas y enfermedades que afectan drásticamente la vida útil de las plantas y el fruto. Los problemas técnicos declarados fueron plantas avejentadas, manejo deficiente de la huerta que afecta la producción, sanidad y calidad del fruto. Los socioeconómicos tienen que ver con la falta de recursos económicos, bajo precio del producto, falta de apoyo institucional e intermediarismo. De esta manera, la producción y comercialización es afectada por manejo deficiente de la huerta debido a desconocimiento técnico de los productores, por la escasa solvencia económica, falta de mercado seguro y el no haber apoyo institucional, lo cual es agravado por la escasa organización de productores.

Mamey (Pouteria sapota) is a Mexican native fruit of sweet flavor and high content of antioxidants. Some of these antioxidants are sensitive to high temperatures. Nonthermal technologies such as high hydrostatic pressures (HHP) could be an adequate alternative to traditional thermal pasteurization. Mamey nectars were treated under different HHP conditions and the effects on native microorganisms (mesophilic bacteria, molds and yeast), pectinmethylesterase (PME) and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activities as well as on total phenolic content (TPC), were evaluated. Most HHP treatments conditions were equally effective to inactive native microorganisms. The application of HHP improved the extraction of TPC showing increments of 24% (400 MPa/2 min) to 64% (500 MPa/2 min) compared with the control samples. At 500 MPa/5 and 10 min maximum inactivation levels of PPO of about 40% were obtained, while PME activity showed decrements up to 70% at 400 MPa/5 min. HHP showed to be a potential technology to preserve mamey nectar, but more conditions should be tested to reach higher enzyme inactivation.

Fruits reaching the floor of tropical forests constitute an attractive resource for a variety of mammals. Study of the characteristics of the frugivory interaction can help to advance in the understanding of the mechanisms favoring animal’s coexistence. However, there are few studies focused on analyzing patterns of activity of mammals feeding on fruits in the forest floor. Camera traps were used to record consumption of Licania platypus and Pouteria sapota fruits by Cuniculus paca, Dasyprocta punctata, Nasua narica, Dycotiles crassus and Tapirella bairdii. Patterns of mammal activity were characterized based on the day, time and tree in which they were recorded. Overlap in daily (delta coefficient) and spatial occurrence (same tree and day, Jaccard, Ochiai indices and V ratio) was assessed. High segregation in the activity of frugivores occurred during the day (mean 0.291 and 0.191 for L. platypus and P. sapota, respectively) and among trees/days (max. Jaccard = 0.14 and 0.19 for L. platypus and P. sapota, respectively). Our results suggest that activity overlap among mammalian frugivores feeding in the forest floor is lower than expected. This likely relates to the fact we conducted our analysis at a finer detail than previous studies (for example those focusing exclusively on dietary overlap). Thus, our study increases our understanding of the possible factor that can favor coexistence of tropical frugivorous mammals.

Carotenoids are natural pigments and antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables such as carrot, tomato, orange, mango, yellow corn, pumpkin, and mamey. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of mamey (Pouteria sapota) carotenoids and compared them to carrot (Daucus carota) carotenoids. The carotenoids were extracted from mamey and carrot, and their antioxidant capacity were determined via in vitro (ABTS method) and in vivo assays (resistance against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans). The carotenoid contents in mamey and carrot were 4.42 ± 0.12 and 5.47 ± 0.04 mg β-carotene/100 g, respectively. Despite the differences between the carotenoid contents in both products (p 0.05). The mamey and carrot carotenoid extracts decreased the oxidative damage in C. elegans by 20–30% and 30–40%, respectively. Both extracts increased the resistance and enhanced the survival of the nematodes, and showed better effects than pure β-carotene, probably owing to the complex mixture in the carotenoid extracts. These results suggest that mamey is a good alternative source of carotenoids and that it protects against oxidative stress in C. elegans. The protective effect of mamey carotenoids was similar to the effect of carrot carotenoids.

Hoja divulgativa Se presentan las fotografías de semillas de zapote, es una especie muy apetecida por sus frutos, por lo que la mayor importancia económica se origina en su comercialización. Universidad de Costa Rica/[]/UCR/Costa Rica UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Estación Experimental Agrícola Fabio Baudrit Moreno (EEAFBM) UCR::Sedes Regionales::Sede del Atlántico::Recinto de Paraíso::Finca Experimental Interdisciplinaria de Modelos Agroecológicos (FEIMA)

Carotenoids are natural pigments and antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables such as carrot, tomato, orange, mango, yellow corn, pumpkin, and mamey. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of mamey (Pouteria sapota) carotenoids and compared them to carrot (Daucus carota) carotenoids. The carotenoids were extracted from mamey and carrot, and their antioxidant capacity were determined via in vitro (ABTS method) and in vivo assays (resistance against oxidative stress in Caenorhabditis elegans). The carotenoid contents in mamey and carrot were 4.42 ± 0.12 and 5.47 ± 0.04 mg β-carotene/100 g, respectively. Despite the differences between the carotenoid contents in both products (p 0.05). The mamey and carrot carotenoid extracts decreased the oxidative damage in C. elegans by 20–30% and 30–40%, respectively. Both extracts increased the resistance and enhanced the survival of the nematodes, and showed better effects than pure β-carotene, probably owing to the complex mixture in the carotenoid extracts. These results suggest that mamey is a good alternative source of carotenoids and that it protects against oxidative stress in C. elegans. The protective effect of mamey carotenoids was similar to the effect of carrot carotenoids., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Mamey carotenoids displayed similar antioxidant activity to carrot carotenoids. • Mamey and carrot carotenoids increased the oxidative stress resistance of C. elegans. • Continuous exposure to carotenoids enhanced the resistance of the progeny. • Natural mixture of carotenoids had better antioxidant effects than pure β-carotene.

Background: Red mamey fruit known as P. sapota, comes from trees found in Mesoamerica and Asia. This fruit is considered a nutraceutical food due to it’s a food and has multiple beneficial health including anti-amyloidogenic activity and potential anti-tumorigenic property. Red mamey fruit contain a variety of carotenoids including novel ketocarotenoids such as sapotexanthin and cryptocapsin. A ketocarotenoid is a chemical compound with a carbonyl group present in the β-ring or in the double bond chain of a carotenoid. In red mamey, the 3'-deoxy-k-end group in sapotexanthin has proved to be an important pro-vitamin A source, which is essential for maintaining a healthy vision and cognitive processes. Objective: Summarize the chemistry and biological activity of the studied carotenoids present in this fruit until now. Method: An exhaustive extraction is the most usual methodology to isolate and thoroughly characterize the carotenoids present in this fruit. High performance liquid chromatography is used to determine the profile of total carotenoid and its purity. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization is used to determine the molecular weight of carotenoid. Nuclear magnetic resonance is used to determine the structure of carotenoids. Result: For each 100 g of fresh weight, 0.12 mg of total carotenoid from this fruit can be obtained. Out of the more than 47 reported carotenoids in red mamey, only 34 have a detailed characterization. Conclusion: it is important to continue studying the chemical composition and biological activity of this unique tropical fruit with commercial and nutritional value.

Submitted by Any Carolina Ióca Diniz (any.carolina@unesp.br) on 2021-04-22T23:22:30Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertacao ANY CAROLINA IOCA DINIZ COMPLETA - CORRIGIDA fevereiro 25 2021.pdf: 4158353 bytes, checksum: 32860d97a4d845f5e59a49e078f3f140 (MD5) Dissertacao ANY CAROLINA IOCA DINIZ Resimida - CORRIGIDA.pdf: 1181743 bytes, checksum: d1ffe28a565956dbc7d62f1e09ee0237 (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by Maria Irani Coito (irani@fcfar.unesp.br) on 2021-04-23T13:27:14Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 diniz_aci_me_arafcf_par.pdf: 1451779 bytes, checksum: 0b0e1790ed81453a5b33382c456b1576 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2021-04-23T13:27:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 diniz_aci_me_arafcf_par.pdf: 1451779 bytes, checksum: 0b0e1790ed81453a5b33382c456b1576 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020-06-22 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Atualmente, têm sido muito utilizados os produtos naturais para a produção de cosméticos. Os resíduos do processo de obtenção do produto primário são comumente utilizados para este fim. A utilização desses produtos ajuda no desenvolvimento das regiões produtoras das matérias primas vegetais de interesse. Os produtos naturais utilizados proporcionam, aos cosméticos, alguma atividade e, sendo material de origem vegetal, podem causar menos reações adversas em relação aos produtos que já estão no mercado, como vermelhidão, eritemas entre outras. Com base nessas informações, foram estudadas as propriedades de sete óleos vegetais e três extratos para analisar qual seria mais efetivo para, posteriormente, ser incorporado numa emulsão com filtros químicos sintéticos, com o intuito de aumentar o fator de proteção solar (FPS). No trabalho, foram utilizados, sete óleos vegetais (de Bertholletia excelsa, Coffea arábica (green), Daucus carota, Mauritia flexuosa, Passiflora edulis, Pouteria sapota, e Ricinus communis), o extrato de Pouteria sapota, o Mamey e o extrato de Anarcadium occidentale, popularmente conhecido como Caju, que possui uma mistura de compostos fenólicos (ácidos anacárdicos, os cardanóis e os cardóis), que podem aumentar o fator de proteção solar. O extrato de Anarcadium occidentale foi feito a partir das folhas do cajueiro e do pseudofruto, para avaliar qual apresenta mais propriedades de interesse. Os três tipos de extratos vegetais foram caracterizados quanto a sua citotoxicidade, compostos fenólicos, potencial antioxidante (pelo ensaio do radical DPPH●) e varredura espectrofotométrica; já os óleos vegetais foram avaliados quanto a seu potencial antioxidante e a varredura espectrofotométrica. Obteve-se com esses ensaios que o extrato que possui menor citotoxicidade e maior atividade antioxidante foi o extrato obtido das folhas do cajueiro; a varredura espectrofotométrica foi semelhante para os três extratos. Os óleos vegetais que obtiveram uma melhor atividade antioxidante foram os de Bertholletia excelsa (Castanha do Brasil), Passiflora edulis (Maracujá) e o Ricinus communis (Ricino), a varredura espectrofotométrica dos sete óleos vegetais também foram semelhantes. No sinergismo com os filtros químicos sintéticos, o óleo de Passiflora edulis a 2,0% foi o que apresentou melhor resultado e sua formulação se manteve estável. Actually, natural products have been widely used for the production of cosmetics. The residues from the process of obtaining the primary product are commonly used for this purpose. The use of these products helps in the development of regions that produce vegetable raw materials of interest. The natural products used provide cosmetics with some activity and, being material of plant origin, may cause less adverse reactions in relation to products that are already on the market, such as redness, erythema and others. Based on this information, the properties of seven vegetable, oils and three extracts were studied to analyze which would be more effective to later be incorporated into an emulsion with synthetic chemical filters, in order to increase the sun protection factor (SPF). Seven vegetable oils (from Bertholletia excelsa, Coffea arabica (green), Daucus carota, Mauritia flexuosa, Passiflora edulis, Pouteria sapota and Ricinus communis), Pouteria sapota extract, Mamey and Anacardium occidentale extract were used in the work Anacardium occidentale, populary known as Caju, which has a mixture of phenolic compounds (anacardic acids, cardanols and cardols), which can increase the sun protection factor. The extract of Anarcadium occidentale was made from the leaves of the cashew tree and the pseudofruit to evaluate which has more properties of interest. The three types of plant extracts were characterized in terms of their cytotoxicity, phenolic compounds, antioxidant potential (by the DPPH● radical test) and spectrophotometric scanning; vegetable oils were evaluated for their antioxidante potential and spectrophotometric scanning. It was obtained from these tests that the extract that has less cytotoxicity and greater antioxidante activity was the extract obtained from the leaves of the cashew tree; the spectrophotometric scan was similar for the three extracts. The vegetable oils that obtained the best antioxidante activity were Bertholletia excelsa (Brazil nut), Passiflora edulis (Passion fruit) and Ricinus communis (Ricino), the spectrophotometric scanning of the seven vegetable oils was also similar. In synergism with synthetic chemical filters, 2.0% Passiflora edulis oil showed the best result and its formulation remained stable. CNPq: 134168/2018-6 CAPES: 134168/2018-6

Natural products are vital in drug discovery and the search for anticancer agents has been significant importance to the researchers for a long time. In the present study, aqueous leaf extract of Pouteria sapota (P.sapota) was evaluated for its cytotoxic activity. The leaf extract was preliminarily screened for antioxidant activity using DPPH method for Radical Scavenging Activity, Hydrogen Peroxide Scavenging Activity and Reducing Power Activity. Further, the aqueous leaf extract was screened for cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) in vitro. The results of the study showed that aqueous extract of the P.sapota leaf was rich in phytochemicals, antioxidant activity and showed a significant anti-cancer activity against tested MCF-7 cell lines. The present study was designed to evaluate the anticancer potential of P.sapota leaf. The antioxidants present in P.sapota have strong cytotoxic activity suggests that it can be considered for anti-cancer treatment., Graphical abstract fx1, Highlights • The P. sapota showed a significant anti-cancer activity against cell lines. • The GC analysis showed many active constituents. • The active constituents exhibit biological activity.

Accurate determination of total dietary fiber (DF) and its soluble (SDF) and insoluble (IDF) fractions is relevant for food analysis research and nutritional labelling. AOAC integrated DF methodology (AOAC 2011.25, IM) has procedure differences compared to the traditionally used AOAC method (991.43, TM), resulting in different DF quantification. However, IM has been mostly performed for cereal-based products and its application in sources such as fruit products needs to be studied. The aim of this study was to compare the DF content obtained by TM with that achieved using IM in pulps and peels of banana (Musa paradisiaca), mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota), mango (Mangifera indica), Meyer lemon (Citrus meyeri), orange (Citrus sinensis), prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica), tamarind (Tamarindus indica), and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Samples containing high starch (banana and its peel, mamey sapote and mango pulp) showed higher IDF values when IM was used. Differences were observed when pectinaceous fruits (orange, Meyer lemon, mango and prickly pear) were assayed, since soluble and insoluble pectins are underestimated by TM. Fruits with a high content of non-digestible oligosaccharides showed higher SDF values when assayed by IM. The use of IM in fruits and their by-products provides relevant information about DF fractions and reduces DF underestimations typically observed when assayed by TM.

SUMMARYLittle is known about the adaptability of mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) to acidic soils high in aluminum (Al). A 2 year field study was conducted to determine the effects of various levels of soil Al on dry matter production, stem diameter and nutrient concentration in tissues of four cultivars of mamey sapote. Soil Al treatments were statistically different for all variables measured in the study. Cultivars and the year × cultivar interaction were not significant; therefore, results were averaged over cultivars and years. Increasing soil Al concentration from 3.5 to 7.8 cmol kg−1 resulted in an increase in total dry weight, but higher soil Al concentrations resulted in dry weight and stem diameter reductions. Increments in soil Al resulted in a significant reduction in the concentration of leaf, stem and root calcium. The Al concentration in leaf and stem tissues was not significantly affected with increments in soil Al, but there was a significant decline in the concentration of Al in root tissue suggesting that mamey sapote may exclude Al from roots.

The aim of this research was to perform a physicochemical characterization of native mamey sapote seed oil [Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore and Stearn]. Mamey sapote seed oil showed good oxidative stability as it had low peroxide, free fatty acid, and p-anisidine values. The main fatty acids present in the oil were palmitic, stearic and oleic acid, constituting five major triacylglycerides families: PLP, POP, StOO, POSt and StOSt. Crystallization and melting points of the oil were −37.7 and 23.84 °C, respectively. The oil had higher SFC when the temperature was lower than 10 °C. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that prolonged storage times lead to the formation of β crystals. Micrographs showed granular crystals (91–105 μm), with needle edges similar to cocoa butter. In addition, mamey sapote seed oil can be used in confectionery products or as a possible substitute for cocoa butter to improve and obtain good-quality products.

Dielectric properties (DPs) of selected fruits: guava (Psidium guajava), mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota), red prickly pear (fruit from Opuntia streptacantha), and white prickly pear (fruit from Opuntia ficus-indica), as well as nopal (young cactus pads or cladodes from Opuntia ficus-indica) were studied. DPs were determined using the open-ended coaxial probe method at microwave frequencies (500 MHz–2 GHz) and temperatures of 20, 40, and 60oC. At 20oC and 915 MHz for unripe fruits, dielectric constant values ranged from 65.7 to 70.9, while the loss factor had values between 8.4 and 20.7. Both dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor were affected by temperature and frequency (p < 0.05). For example, loss factor for red prickly pear at 2450 MHz decreased from 13.88 at 20oC to 12.8 at 40oC and 11.7 at 60oC. DPs of fruits were also affected by their ripening (quantified through the maturity index). In addition, penetration depth decreased with increasing frequency, ranging from 1.98 to 4.80 cm at...

Two new carotenoids, sapotexanthin 5,6-epoxide and sapotexanthin 5,8-epoxide, have been isolated from the ripe fruits of red mamey (Pouteria sapota). Sapotexanthin 5,6-epoxide was also prepared by partial synthesis via epoxidation of sapotexanthin, and the (5R,6S) and (5S,6R) stereoisomers were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-electronic circular dichroism (HPLC-ECD) analysis. Spectroscopic data of the natural and semisynthetic derivatives obtained by acid-catalyzed rearrangement of cryptocapsin 5,8-epoxide stereoisomers were compared for structural elucidation.

Pouteria sapota is a tropical fruit that is commonly found in central and north part of South America where is widely consumed by its biofunctional properties. The aroma active volatile compounds of Pouteria sapota fruit were studied by using the molecular sensory approach, which includes a SAFE (Solvent Assisted Flavor Evaporation) distillation to get a volatile extract that resembles the fruit aroma, and the combination of GC-O (Gas Chromatography coupled to Olfactometry) with GC-MS analyses to identify odour-active compounds. By AEDA (Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis), β-damascenone, furaneol, linalool, (Z)-3-hexenal, and benzaldehyde, were identified as key aroma compounds in this fruit.

Resumen Introducción. El cultivo del cacao en México constituye un rubro exportable que garantiza la subsistencia de miles de familias. El estado de Chiapas es uno de los productores más importantes; sin embargo, aún los rendimientos son bajos, debido a diferentes factores que pueden ser minimizados con un adecuado diseño agroforestal que responda a los requerimientos del cultivo. Objetivo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la estructura de la diversidad taxonómica en plantaciones de cacao y analizar su influencia sobre el cultivo en el Soconusco, Chiapas, México. Materiales y métodos. La investigación se efectuó durante los meses de enero a mayo del 2018, en trece municipios: Cacahoatán, Tuxtla Chico, Frontera Hidalgo, Metapa, Suchiate, Tapachula, Huixtla, Tuzantán, Huehuetán, Escuintla, Acacoyagua, Acapetagua y Mapastepec. Se establecieron parcelas representativas de 50x20 m, en las que se contabilizaron y clasificaron taxonómicamente las especies presentes. Se evaluó el diámetro a altura de pecho (DAP) y la altura total (Ht). Se realizó un análisis para definir los estratos (inferior, medio y superior) en la estructura vertical del sistema agroforestal y se hicieron consideraciones sobre la influencia de los resultados en el cacao. Resultados. Se determinaron 35 especies arbóreas con 199 plantas que pertenecen a veintidós familias. Las especies más importantes fueron Cordia alliodora, Tabebuia rosea y Pouteria sapota. Conclusión. Las especies de árboles de sombra registradas en la estructura vertical y horizontal de los sistemas agroforestales de cacao de la región del Soconusco, Chiapas, generaron un exceso de sombra equivalente a una media en la región de 14,16 % de la iluminación total, y la consecuente competencia por la luz entre las especies estudiadas, incluyendo el cultivo del cacao. Abstract Introduction. The cultivation of cocoa in Mexico is an exportable item that guarantees the subsistence of thousand families. The state of Chiapas is one of the most important producers; however, even the yields are low due to different factors. These can be minimized with appropriate agroforestry design that responds to the requirements of the crop. Objective. The objective of this work was to evaluate the structure of taxonomic diversity in cocoa plantations, and analyze its influence on the crop in Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico. Materials and methods. The research was carried out from January to May 2018 in thirteen municipalities: Cacahoatán, Tuxtla Chico, Frontera Hidalgo, Metapa, Suchiate, Tapachula, Huixtla, Tuzantán, Huehuetán, Escuintla, Acacoyagua, Acapetagua and Mapastepec. Representative plots of 50x20 m were established, in which the present species were counted and classified taxonomically. The diameter at chest height (DAP) and total height (Ht) were evaluated. An analysis was made to define the strata (lower, middle and upper) in the vertical structure of the agroforestry system, and considerations were made about the influence of the results on the cocoa. Results. 35 tree species were determined with 199 plants belonging to twenty-two families. The most important species were Cordia alliodora, Tabebuia rosea and Pouteria sapota. Conclusion. The shade tree species registered in the vertical and horizontal structure of the agroforestry cocoa systems of the Soconusco region, Chiapas, generated an excess of shade equivalent to an average in the region of 14.16 % of the total illumination, and the consequent competition for light among the species studied, including cocoa cultivation.

Tropical fruit trees are an important component of the human diet; however, little is known about their genetic diversity levels. Zapote mamey (Pouteria sapota) is a tree native to southeastern Mexico and Central America, and Mexico is the leading producer in the world. Studies of the genetic diversity of Zapote mamey have been based on cultivated materials using morphological and biochemical characterization or dominant molecular markers. To gain a deeper understanding about the conservation status of Zapote mamey in its center of origin and domestication, we collected 188 individuals from eight wild and five cultivated populations in southeastern Mexico and characterized them using eight microsatellite loci. STRUCTURE, 3D-PCoA, and neighbor-joining analyses showed three groups in the wild gene pool and one group in the cultivated gene pool. FST values were significant between wild and cultivated gene pools, among the four groups observed and among the 13 populations collected (0.13, 0.25, and 0.36, respectively). Overall, we found low levels of genetic diversity (A = 2.77, HO = 0.29, HE = 0.39), permutation tests did not show significant differences between wild and cultivated gene pools. The Garza–Williamson index showed low values in both gene pools (wild = 0.16, cultivated = 0.11) and the Bottleneck program indicated a decrease in genetic diversity in both gene pools (wild, P = 0.027; cultivated, P = 0.054); both analyses suggest a potential genetic bottleneck within this species. This study can help to generate adequate sampling techniques and to develop effective management strategies for Zapote mamey of southeastern Mexico.

In this study, aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) was evaluated during the process of obtaining oil from mamey sapote seed (OMSS). Viscozyme L enzyme complex was used at pH 4 and 50 °C during the optimization of the extraction process by central composite design and response surface methodology. Optimal conditions were: 3.5% (w/w) of enzyme (regarding the seed weight), 5.5 h of incubation time, 235 rpm of agitation rate, and 1:3.5 of solid-to-liquid ratio. These conditions enabled us to obtain an OMSS yield of 66%. No statistically significant differences were found in the fatty acid profile and physicochemical properties, such as the acid and iodine values and the percentage of free fatty acids, between the oil obtained by AEE or by the conventional solvent extraction (SE). However, the oxidative stability of the oil obtained by AEE (11 h) was higher than that obtained by SE (9.33 h), therefore, AEE, in addition to being an environmentally friendly method, produces a superior quality oil in terms of oxidative stability. Finally, the high oil content in mamey sapote seed, and the high percentage of oleic acid (around 50% of the total fatty acid) found in this oil, make it a useful edible vegetable oil.

Mammalian frugivory is a distinctive biotic interaction of tropical forests; however, most efforts in the Neotropics have focused on cases of animals foraging in the forest canopy, in particular primates and bats. In contrast much less is known about this interaction when it involves fruits deposited on the forest floor and terrestrial mammals. We conducted a camera-trapping survey to analyze the characteristics of the mammalian ensembles visiting fruits of Licania platypus and Pouteria sapota deposited on the forest floor in a well preserved tropical rainforest of Mexico. Both tree species produce large fruits but contrast in their population densities and fruit chemical composition. In particular, we expected that more species of terrestrial mammals would consume P. sapota fruits due to its higher pulp:seed ratio, lower availability and greater carbohydrate content. We monitored fruits at the base of 13 trees (P. sapota, n = 4 and L. platypus, n = 9) using camera-traps. We recorded 13 mammal species from which we had evidence of 8 consuming or removing fruits. These eight species accounted for 70% of the species of mammalian frugivores active in the forest floor of our study area. The ensemble of frugivores associated with L. platypus (6 spp.) was a subset of that associated with P. sapota (8 spp). Large body-sized species such as Tapirus bairdii, Pecari tajacu and Cuniculus paca were the mammals more frequently interacting with fruits of the focal species. Our results further our understanding of the characteristics of the interaction between terrestrial mammalian frugivores and large-sized fruits, helping to gain a more balanced view of its importance across different tropical forests and providing a baseline to compare against defaunated forests.

Objetivo: Estimar el carbono almacenado en el componente arbóreo de mamey (P. sapota) de los sistemas agroforestales ribereños de la cuenca del río Tlapaneco, en el estado de Guerrero, México.Diseño/metodología/aproximación: Se contabilizó el número de árboles y se midió su diámetro a la altura de pecho en cuadrantes de 400 m2 en 110 predios de las localidades de Ixcateopan, Alpoyeca, Tlaquiltepec, y Coyahualco. La biomasa aérea (B) en kg de materia seca por árbol se estimó una ecuación alométrica disponible para especies tropicales y subtropicales. Resultados: El carbono total almacenado por ha en el componente arbóreo de mamey fue de 20,089 kg/ha, mientras que el total almacenado para todo el agroecosistema ribereño de la cuenca fue de 3,471,400 kg de carbono.Limitaciones del estudio/Implicaciones: La no disponibilidad de ecuaciones alométricas específicas para mamey limitó una estimación más precisa.Hallazgos/conclusiones: El componente arbóreo de mamey es un reservorio importante de carbono en los sistemas agroforestales ribereños de la cuenca del río Tlapaneco.

La especie Pouteria sapota, también conocida como zapote o zapote mamey es un árbol frutal que pertenece a la familia sapotaceae, originaria de la región tropical de América Central, de gran importancia debido al amplio uso del árbol (fruta, semilla y madera) para la industria. Debido a esto, el estudio de sus características se hace indispensable para seleccionar genotipos promisorios para incrementar la rentabilidad de su producción. En este estudio fue utilizada una base de datos consistente en registros de 63 árboles de zapote, plantados en el jardín botánico del Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE), localizado en Turrialba, Costa Rica. 17 características cuantitativas fueron medidas a los árboles, con el objetivo de evaluar el rendimiento potencial por medio de la aplicación de dos técnicas estadísticas multivariadas: análisis factorial (AF) y análisis de conglomerados (AC). Inicialmente fue realizado el AF y 17 características iniciales fueron reducidas a cuatro factores comunes que pueden describir las características particulares como: "fruta", "semilla", "árbol" and "hoja". Posteriormente fue aplicado el AC con los escores del AF, permitiendo la formación de cinco grupos de árboles con diferentes características. Esta metodología mostró ser prometedora para la selección de árboles con mejores características, con fines económicos para la industria. The Pouteria sapota, also popularly known as sapote or mamey sapote, is a fruit tree of sapotaceae family originally from the tropical region of Central America with a great importance due to the almost complete utilization of the tree (fruit, seeds and wood) by industries. Thus, the study of its features becomes indispensable for selecting the most promising genotypes to increase the profitability of its production. In this study, it was used a dataset of 63 sapote trees placed in the botanical garden of Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE), located in Turrialba, Costa Rica. 17 quantitative characteristics were measured from trees, in order to evaluate the yield potential through the application of two multivariate statistical techniques: factor analysis (FA) and cluster analysis (CA). Firstly, the FA was performed and the 17 initial characteristics were reduced to four common factors that might describe particular characteristics like "fruit", "seed", "wood" and "leaf". Thereafter, a CA was performed, with scores of FA, which allows the formation of five groups of trees with different traits. This methodology revealed the most promising trees in the economic point of view for every industry that uses the tree as raw material.

From an extract of red mamey (Pouteria sapota) β-cryptoxanthin-5,6-epoxide, β-cryptoxanthin-5',6'-epoxide, 3'-deoxycapsanthin, and cryptocapsin were isolated and characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, electronic circular dichroism (ECD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry (MS). Epoxidation of β-cryptoxanthin delivered the β-(5'R,6'S)- and (5'S,6'R)-cryptoxanthin-5',6'-epoxides, which were identified by HPLC-ECD analysis. These carotenoids among others are quite common in the fruits of Central America, and as they are natural provitamins A, they should play an important role in the diet of the mostly vitamin A deficient population of this region.

Pouteria sapota is known for its edible fruits that contain unique carotenoids, as well as for its fungitoxic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity. However, its genetics is mostly unknown, including aspects about its genetic diversity and domestication process. We did high-throughput sequencing of microsatellite-enriched libraries of P. sapota, generated 5223 contig DNA sequences, 1.8 Mbp, developed 368 microsatellites markers and tested them on 29 individuals from 10 populations (seven wild, three cultivated) from Mexico, its putative domestication center. Gene ontology BLAST analysis of the DNA sequences containing microsatellites showed potential association to physiological functions. Genetic diversity was slightly higher in cultivated than in the wild gene pool (HE = 0.41 and HE = 0.35, respectively), although modified Garza–Williamson Index and Bottleneck software showed evidence for a reduction in genetic diversity for the cultivated one. Neighbor Joining, 3D Principal Coordinates Analysis and assignment tests grouped most individuals according to their geographic origin but no clear separation was observed between wild or cultivated gene pools due to, perhaps, the existence of several admixed populations. The developed microsatellites have a great potential in genetic population and domestication studies of P. sapota but additional sampling will be necessary to better understand how the domestication process has impacted the genetic diversity of this fruit crop.